Last Updated on March 19, 2024 by Sarah Wilson
The Best Ways To Get Around Lisbon
The best way to explore Lisbon’s different neighbourhoods is on foot. But with those hilly streets in Lisbon and the fact that it’s quite a distance between the central districts and the famous sites in Belem, it’s worth knowing how to use Lisbon’s public transportation.
Also, at some point I’m sure, you’d like to ride a historic tram or jump on a funicular to avoid walking up a steep hill. This guide will help you find your way around the capital using the Lisbon Metro and other public transportation.
Having a Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) is the easiest and most cost-effective way to pay for journeys on public transport in Lisbon. You can use the Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) card to travel on buses, the Lisbon metro, trams, funiculars, ferries and urban trains to Sintra and Cascais.
In fact, you have to have a Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) to travel on the metro, ferries and suburban trains. However, for travel on buses, trams and funiculars, it’s possible to pay on board, but it works out a lot more expensive.
See also:
- Lisbon In One Day
- Portugal Day Trip: Oceanário de Lisboa (Lisbon Oceanarium)
- 15 Tips for Making Travel Easier
- Visiting Viseu
- Golega National Horse Fair
You can buy a Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) at any Lisbon metro, ferry or suburban train station or at any local PayShop in Lisbon. At the metro stations, you can purchase the ticket from the automatic ticket machines or ticket office, but more often or not the ticket office is closed or the staff member just points to the ticket machine.
Don’t worry all the automatic ticket machines offer instructions in multiple languages including English. While at the Lisbon metro, it’s probably worth picking up or downloading a Lisbon Metro Map.
Lisbon Metro: Everywhere on the Lisbon Metro. There are only four metro lines in Lisbon: Red, Green, Yellow and Blue.
The Red Metro Line runs from the Airport.
The Green Metro Line connects the main tourist areas around the historic district and for the train station to Cascais.
The Blue and Yellow Metro Lines follow Lisbon’s main avenues such as the Avenida de Liberdade which is actually much nicer to walk along, than travel underground.
Buses, Trams and Funiculars:
You can use your Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) on all buses, trams and funiculars that are operated by Carris. This includes the famous historical Tram 28 and the somewhat more modern Tram 15 to Belem. Plus you can use the card for Lisbon’s three funiculars and the famous Elevador de Santa Justa Lift.
Note: You can not use your card on the Aerobus or tourist buses such as the hop-on-hop-off buses.
Local Lisbon Trains:
You can also use the Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) to travel on local trains to/from Lisbon to Sintra, Estoril and Cascais. And even on Transtejo Ferries to Cacilhas, Trafaria, Porto Brandão, Seixal, Barreiro and Montijo.
A Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) costs €0.50 which must be purchased with the first ticket. The card is reusable and valid for a year.
Option 1- A Single ticket (Carris/Metro): €1.80
This option is only useful if you’re planning to make just one journey on public transport in Lisbon. The ticket is valid for one hour on the metro and on all buses, trams and funiculars that are operated by Carris so for example, you take the subway from Marquês de Pombal to Terreiro do Paço (blue line) and then take tram 15 to Belém all on one ticket.
Note if you are only going to be using a single ticket, you can now use a contactless bank card.
Option 2 – Zapping
Top Up your Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) with at least €3, or in multiples of €5 up to a balance total of €40. Choose this option if you plan to travel quite a bit on public transport in Lisbon. A single journey when you’re zapping costs just €1.61.
If you plan to be using public transport more often, then zapping with your Navegante Card will work out to be more economical than using your contactless bank card.
Option 3 – One day ticket
This ticket allows unlimited travel for 24 hours.
€6.80 – unlimited travel on metros, bus, trams, funiculars and lifts.
When you consider that a tram ride is €3 if you pay on board, and a trip on a funicular costs €3.70 for two journeys (no, you can’t pay for just one!) then this is quite a good deal.
For €9.80, you get unlimited travel as above plus the ferry across the river.
For €10.80, you get unlimited travel as above and the trains to Sintra, Estoril and Cascais.
The ticket machines accept coins, notes, and debit and credit cards.
Once you’ve selected and paid for option 1,2 or 3, you cannot change to another type of ticket until the previous one has been used. For example, if you chose the Zapping option, you will have to first use up all the credit on your Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem) before you are allowed to buy a one-day ticket.
The simplest way to check how much balance you have left on your Navegante Card (formerly Viva Viagem)is to go to a ticket machine at any Lisbon metro station and insert the card.
Hope this guide helps. We have travelled all over the world but found buying a ticket on the Lisbon Metro the most confusing, hence the guide. If all else fails, do as we do, smile hopelessly at the person behind you in the queue and hope they can help.
I love this guide and I have to admit I am in love with your website. It’s so colorful here! I have been to Losbon long time ago but it’s seems that many things changed and I would love to visit it again.
Thank you! You must come back to Lisbon, it’s a lovely city.
This is such a well written guide. I don’t think I would have thought like this ever. I am sure it will simplify tourist woes in Lisbon for many newbies like me.
Thank you. We were totally baffled how to get around Lisbon when we were newbies lol.
Seems like Lisbon is best seen on foot but with those steep climbs the tram is the best way and a fun one too. I am looking to visit Lisbon in the next few months and this surely is very helpful. Public transport is the best way to see a city without a doubt and if there is a tram involved then its much more fun. Another great tip is Viva Viagem card to travel on local trains to/from Lisbon . TAHNKS FOR SHARING THIS POST .
Thank you. It’s definitely best explored on foot but oh those hills start to hurt after a while lol. Enjoy your trip to Lisbon 🙂
What an informative post! I’m thinking of heading to Portugal next year so I have bookmarked this page. Love the birght yellow trams, art on the funiculars and that elevator! How stunning is that? We are family travellers so getting a card is a definite must. Those little legs can’t walk up hills all day long.
Thank you! With kids, probably a very good idea to get the pass!
Traveling with kids means we do take advantage of public transportation because their little feet get so tired. Also, they’re kind of suckers for funiculars. (And I didn’t even know the elevator existed, but now that I do, we have to do it!) thanks for the info!
Can be very long queues for the elevator, especially on days when the big cruise ships are in town! But I think travelling with kids, the day pass would be a great idea!
That is a very useful guide for me as I always travel by public transport. Not only does it help me save environment, money but also I get to mingle with local people. The Viva Viagem card is so affordable and I love that it is valid for an year. I like the one day pass. Makes sense to use since it is valid across various modes of transport. That is a very useful guide for me as I always travel by public transport. Not only does it help me save environment, money but also I get to mingle with local people. The Viva Viagem card is so affordable and I love that it is valid for an year. I like the one day pass. Makes sense to use since it is valid across various modes of transport.
I prefer public transport and Viva Viagem card seems to be a perfect fit for buses, the metro, trams, the funiculars, ferries and suburban trains. For the first timers, figuring out the public transport in Lisbon can be complicated but I can see you have made it very simple through your post. I would love to do the tram and the ferry. Lisbon is definitely on the cards.
For the past 3 years, I opted for public transportation whenever I travel abroad. It makes me appreciate the trip more as well as it’s really cheaper compared to renting a car.
Bookmarked your post for future reference. Thank you for sharing.
I always grab a metro or public transportation card when I travel. Even more so in Europe. I’ve always wanted to visit Lisbon and knowing these practical tips before I go is a huge time saver.
Thank you for all the great information! Can you please also tell me if the Viva Viagem ZAPPING option also works for the lift Elevador de Santa Justa and ferries?
Thanx,
Nina
Hi Nina,
Yes, it does 🙂
Thanks for the great post. I can’t wait to visit Lisbon 🙂 We are always looking to save money by using public transport or walking.
Does Viva Viagem card include also the transfer from Lisbon airport?
Yes it does. You can buy the Viva Viagem card at the Airport metro station.
This article is BS, the Via Viagem does not work on urban trains. I’ve just had to purchase a separate train ticket to complete my journey.
Via Viagem works on urban trains to Sintra and Cascais. I’ve updated the post to clarify this. Thank you for drawing this to my attention. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve used Lisbon transportation.
I don’t really like using the metro and it isn’t very near the apartment we’ll stay in, but that seems to be the best place to buy these one day passes. Can I buy multiple one day passes at the same time or must I go to the metro every day to buy one?
You can buy multiple day passes as they only become activated on the first journey. But unless you are planning to jump on lots of different trains and buses every day, it is probably best just to get a Viva Viagem card and just put 10-15 euros on it and use that to pay as you go. Then top up as needed. Hope that helps 🙂
What is the difference between this and the Lisboa card?
Looks like things have changed a little since I lived there. A Lisboa Card is great if you are visiting Lisbon for a few days and plan to visit a few sights. Check this post by Lisbon guru, to help you decide which card is best for you. https://www.lisbonguru.com/viva-viagem-or-lisboa-card-which-card-to-buy/